Physiotherapy appliances



Dec. 12, 1961 G. HOTAS 3,012,777

PHYSIOTHERAPY APPLIANCES Filed Sept. 10, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 -q: 5INVENTOR l q Leon 6. Hotas Dec. 12, 1961 G. HOTAS 3,012,777

PHYSIOTHERAPY APPLIANCES Filed Sept. 10, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 as 55 3773 39 72 54 56 73 6| 72 o a 6 9 g 59 72 Q on 0 0- 75 a on o o .n' o 6569 se a 64 8 3 67 74 ea 69 E I03 lol INVENTOR Leon 6. Hows United StatesPatent 3,012,777 PHYSIDTHERAPY APPLIANCES Leon G. Hotas, 190 Osborne St.N., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Filed Sept. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 839,136 2Claims. (Cl. 272-53) The invention relates to a machine for exercisingthe principal joints of the human body, and for building up the strengthof the muscles thereof, particularly when said joints have becomerestricted in their movement and the muscles weakened following surgery,injuries, poliomyelitis, paralysis, neurological and advanced ageconditions.

At this time it might be explained that, when a human body is resting ona support, with arms and legs in suspension, gravity normally tends tohold said limbs or extremities in these positions. Considerable musculareffort must be expended to operate them thereagainst. The effect ofgravity is even more pronounced in climbing stairs or lifting heavyobjects; the body soon becomes fatigued.

For instance; if a normally healthy person were to abduct one arm fromthe above suspended position to a location horizontally and at rightangles to the body, it would appear to be a simple action. However, dueto the arrangement and attachments of the deltoid muscle, itscontraction must exert a pull approximately eight times the weight ofthe arm to accomplish this lifting result. In other words: if the armweighs twenty pounds, the muscle must exert one hundred and sixty poundsof contracted effort. The same applies to lifting a leg, sitting up froma supine position, or the many other movements against gravity whichappear to be made with such ease by a healthy person.

Accordingly, when the above mentioned restricted joints are to beexercised by said weakened muscles, the effect of gravity poses aproblem. While hydrotherapy has been used to eliminate the effect ofgravity during exercise, water pools are expensive, take up a lot ofspace, the patient is not at ease, and such treatments are costly.Methods of sling suspension from frame units have been tried, and whilevery advantageous in restricting the effects of gravity, they are timeconsuming to erect, complicated in construction, and by themselves donot offer much scope for true horizontal motion and joint exercises.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide a tablefor the support of the patient; provide adjustable means for slingsuspending the limb-s of the patient to be exercised thereabove, to freethem from the effect of gravity as far as support by the patient isconcerned; provide a vertical pivot for alignment with the joint of saidsuspended limbs, and around which same can sling swing; and provideclamp means for holding the limbs in said joint pivotable position forsaid exercises.

A further object of the invention is to construct the above slingsupport means so it can be adjustably raised, lowered, rotated orend-shifted above the table and the patient, to a position for the mostconvenient and correct exercise of the various joints of said patient.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for adjustablyintroducing resistance against said limb swinging movements tostrengthen the operating muscles thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide the above mentionedresistance to said exercising movements by the raising of adjustableweights, so said resistance will be constant over the swing, and saidmuscles can also be exercised and built up by restricting the fall ofsaid weights.

3,012,777 Patented Dec. 12, 1961 A further object of the invention is toprovide means,

Still further objects of the invention are: to construct the appliancein a simple manner for ease and economical construction, efiicient andreadily understood operation, including strength and durability of theans,"

for many years of valuable body re-activat'io'n.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent as thedescription of the invention proceeds, ref erence being bad to theaccompanying drawings in whichi FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of theappliance with part of the table broken away to expose construction.FIGURE 2 is an enlarged front view or elevation of the supporting tool,including a foot attachment connected thereto.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 33, FIGURE2.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4, FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 5-5 in FIGURE2.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged detail of the adjustments for the cable.

FiGURE 7 is a perspective view of one of the slings.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 88, FIGURE2.

In the drawings like reference characters like parts in the severalfigures. V

The framework 16) of the appliance is end provided with a pair ofinverted U-shaped tubings 11 and 12 which form the four corner legs. Thebottoms of the legs carry rubber feet 13. A rectangularly shapedhorizontal tubular frame 14 is supported in an elevated position by thelegs, with angular reinforcements 15 at each corner thereunder. A flatplatform 16 is suitably-secured on the frame 14 to present a patientreceiving table. The central parts of the upper cross members of thetubings 11 and 12 are connected by a longitudinal tubing 17. A smallertubing 18 projects from the outer side of the head tubing 11, oppositethe tubing 17, is then bent downward to centrally connect to a U-shapedcross tube 19 which is supported by the legs of the tubing 11.

referto A pair of semi-circular-shaped tubes 20 are carried by j therear upper parts of the tubings 11 and 12, one on each tubing. Thecurved summits of these semi-circular tubes carry the ends of a furtherlongitudinal tubing 21, each end in a saddle 22.

A tool supporting unit 23 is carried by the two longitudinal tubings 17and 21 as follows: A short tube slidably telescopes over the tubing 21.The central front side of this tube is secured to the upper end of avertical tube 25, each end of which is partially slit and provided witha pair of clamp jaws 26 which are controlled by a pair of clamp screws27, one passing through each. The lower front end of the vertical tube25, just above the lower clamp, is secured to the centre of a crosshalf-tube 28 on the tubing 17 (see FIGURE 5). A second half-tube 29 ishinged at 30 to an edge of the half-tube 28, at each end, such that thetwo half-tubes encircle the tubing 17. The free edge of the half-tube 29pivotally receives the short ends of a pair of L-shaped ed, each passingbetween a pair of lugs 33, a pair at each end of the half-tube 28, andreceiving a hand operable nut 34, so the half-tubes can be clamped tothe tubing 17.

A tool 35 is suspended from the unit 23, above the table 16, andcomprises an inverted F-shaped hanger 36, and a triangular-shaped armmember 37 pivotally swingable thereon.

The hanger 36 includes a vertical support standard 38 having its upperend clamped in the tube 25 of the unit 23. Its lower end supports oneend of a horizontal tubing 39 which extends slightly past the standard,as at 40. The opposite end of the tubing 39 carries a ball bearing 41. Ahorizontal split-ring tubing 42. (FIGURE 3) centres on the bearing 41,the split ends each being secured to a side of the tubing 39 forsupport. The upper surface of this ring-tubing is provided with a seriesof spaced vertical holes 43 therearound. A further horizontal tubing 44,above that at 39, extends from the standard 38 and terminates in a ballbearing 45, aligned with the bearing 41. This completes the hanger 36.

The arm member 37 presents a vertical tubing 46 having shouldered studs47 and 48 pinned to and projecting from each end thereof, a centralflange on the studs limiting depth. The downwardly projecting end of thestud 47 enters the ball bearing 41 of the hanger 36 while the upwardlyprojecting end of the stud 48 passes through the ball bearing 45, so thearm member can swing thereon. The stud 48 then continues as a shaft 49,which is keyed at 50 to three different sized pulleys 51, 52 and 53. Ashort horizontal tube 54 extends from the bottom of the vertical tubing46. This latter tube passes over the ring tubing 42 and is provided witha hole for a peg 55 to pass selectively into the holes 43 of thering-tubing, to lock the arm member thereto. The tube 54 then connectsto the upper end of a short vertical rod 56 having a hole 57 boredcentrally therethrough. A hand screw 58 threads through the side forclamping purposes later explained. A further horizontal tubing 59 issecured to and extends from the bottom of the rod 56 as a spacedcontinuation of the tubing 39. A reinforcing tubing 60 is secured to andextends from the upper end of the vertical tubing 46, just below theball bearing 45. and is then bent downward to connect with the end ofthe tubing 59 to complete the triangular-shape of the arm member 37.

An extension tubing 61 of smaller diameter has one end thereof receivedin the short end 40 of the tubing 39 (see FIGURE 8). A V-shaped spring62 carries a short stud 63 at each end. This spring, with studs, isinserted in the received end of the extension tubing so the studs willbe resiliently pressed through holes therein and into holes 64 of thetubing 39, to prevent withdrawal. If desired, the extension tubing canbe removed by finger pressing the studs in and withdrawing same. It canthen be inserted in the end of the tubing 59, the studs being receivedin the holes 65.

A series of three plate strips 66, 67 and 68 are each permanentlysecured along the bottom of the tubings 61, 39 and 59 respectively.These plate strips are provided with a series of spaced holes 69therealong. The upper edges of these tubings are also provided withcentrally drilled cross rods 72 having finger screws 73 to form clampstherein. Hooks 74 and 75 also project down from the tube 54 and the rod56 respectively.

Each of the pulleys 51, 52 and 53 is provided on its periphery with anupper notch 76 for the selective reception of the knotted end 77 of acable 7 8 which is adapted to be received therearound. The free end ofthe cable passes ahead and around a pulley 79 which is hooked to abracket 80 telescoped over and slidable on the tubing 18. It will benoted in FIGURE 6 that only the upper end of the bracket encircles thetubing, which is provided with a series of spaced holes 81 theredown.The lower part of the bracket is provided with a pin 82 which is adaptedto be selectively received in the holes 81 by the pull of the cable.After passing around the pulley 79, the cable 78 passes through atightener 83, which is of a conventional type commonly used on clotheslines. A coil spring 84 normally presses balls 85 upwardly and againstthe cable to lock same, while a looped wire 86, pivoted on saidtightener, supports the hooked end 87 of a weight carrier 88. The end ofthe cable passes through a central tube 89, which supports the balls 85,and then enters and winds up in a spring actuated cable container 99carried by one of the legs of the appliance. This cable container isconventional and has not been detailed as it forms no essential part ofthe invention.

A sling 91 is shown in FIGURE 7. This sling is made of flexiblematerial, is fairly wide at the centre, and tapers at each end to asupport metal catch 92. One of these catches can be caught in one of theholes 69 of the plate strips 66, 67 and 68, or on one of the hooks 74 or75, then wrapped around a limb of a patient while he is resting on thetable 16. The other catch can then be hooked to another hole or hook forcomplete support of the limb. A plurality of these slings can be used ifdesired.

A clamp member 93 is shown in position in FIGURE 1. It consists of a rod94 having a cross tube 95 at one end and a hand set screw therethroughfor a clamp. A second rod 97 slides through the clamp while its lowerend carries a curved pressure plate 98. This plate is normally coveredwith a removable padding (not shown) so the patient will not be hurt.The rod 94 can be received in and locked to any one of the clamp members72 and both rods 94 and 97 can be rotated or end shifted into a multiplenumber of positions for clamping a limb to the tool 35. It will be seenthat six clamp members can be used at one time, if desired.

In operation, the patient will rest on the table 16. The hand operablenuts 34 will be released and the tool 35 slid on the tubings 17 and 21to the location required. The nuts are then re-tightened. The handscrews 27 are then released and the tool moved down, or up, through thetube 25 to the best operating position. In moving this tool up or down,the bracket 80 will be lifted or lowered on the tubing 18 to maintainthe cable 78 in a correct horizontal pulley winding position. In thesame way, as the tool is moved to the head or foot end of the appliance,the cable tightener 83 will be slid along the cable and the slack passedinto the cable winder 90, or drawn out respectively.

The particular limb of the patient requiring treatment is then slingsupported from the tool, as above described, and the clamp members areadjusted thereagainst to hold same firmly in place, care being taken toposition the joint thereof directly under the pivot created by the ballbearings 41 and 45. For knee, hip or shoulder forward fiexions andextensions, the patient will lay sideways on the table. For hip internaland external rotation or shoulder abduction and adduction, he may laysupine, or

a prone. And for arm posterior deltoid training or elbow flexion andextension, the patient may be in a sitting position. The tool can alsobe adjusted to all such positions for both children and adults.

As the slings will support the limb against the weight effect ofgravity, giving the sensation of complete weightlessness, the patientwill quickly become relaxed and have no inhibitions. The operator willfirst remove the peg 55, and can then gradually swing the arm member 37,especially if the patients muscles are very weak, to initially operatethe limb joint. Such exercises can be carried out with reasonablepressure, and over a period of time, until full joint movement isobtained. It will also re-educate brain co-operation with the musclesthereof for early selfoperation by the patient. As the muscles build upstrength, increasing weight is added to the weight carrier, or thepulleys changed to greater leverage of the cable, and this resistanceagainst the patients efforts results in speedy increase of muscularstrength.

The knotted end 77 of the cable can be released from a pulley forre-winding in the opposite direction and reconnection, when the oppositeside of the patient is to be exercised. As the cable can also beattached to the different diametered pulleys for increased or reducedleverage of the weights against the limb joint, the number of suchweights are considerably reduced in actual use. The peg 55 can be used,through the hole in the tube 54 as shown) to lock the arm member at anylocation, or it can be separately inserted in any one of the holes 43 asa stop for the arm mem bers swing, and so provide a rest position wheredesired. *In other words; the patient can swing the arm member andexercise the joint, against the weight, and when fatigued, can releasethe weight onto the peg at this stop position for a rest, until readyfor further effort. The connection of the extension tubing 61 to the endof the arm member 37 is done when the hip joint is to be exercised andthe lower part of the leg must be fully supported with slings.

By observing FIGURE 2 it will be seen that the tool can also be used inthe same manner for ankle exercises by the use of an attachmentsupported from the clamp 56. This attachment comprises a foot receivingshoe 99 having straps and buckles 100 thereon for securing the twotogether. The under side of the shoe sole is provided with a lengthwiseclamp 101 and the heel with a cross clamp 102. An offset rod 103 has oneend thereof received in the clamp 101 while its opposite end is receivedin the clamp 56 on the tool. The offset, as shown, holds the foot inproper position with the pivot of the tool for ankle inversion andeversion exercises. By releasing the clamp 101, removing the shoe fromthe rod 103 and re-connecting it to the clamp 102 at a 90 turned angle,the foot will be correctly positioned with the pivot of the tool forankle plantar flexation and dorsi fiexion exercises.

From the above disclosure it will be seen that the appliance presentswhat might be termed a universal machine for exercising all the majorjoints of the extremities and strengthening the muscles thereof. This isdone in a most scientific and professional manner as the movements areall in a true horizontal plane and the weight pressure is constant atall swingable positions, and the appliance itself occupies a minimum offloor space. As

these exercises can be self accomplished by the patient,

the operator merely has to set the stage, so to speak, and then isavailable for other essential work. It might also be mentioned at thistime that the pivot of the machine could be equipped with a protractor(not shown) so that a chart record could be kept of the joint movementsfrom day to day to show a true progress picture. This system of exerciseappears to provide the best means to achieve maximum physiologicalimprovement under pathological conditions in the shortest possible time.

What I claim as my invention is: I

1. In a physiotherapy appliance, the combination of a supporting frameincluding a pair of spaced upright frame members, a horizontal patientsupporting platform extending between and secured to intermediateportions of said frame members and disposed in a plane spaced above asuporting surface on which said frame members are positioned, a pair ofhorizontal bars secured to and extending between the upper portions ofthe frame members, said bars being disposed in vertically andhorizontally spaced parallel relation, a horizontally slidablyadjustable carriage positioned on said pair of bars for traversingmovement between said frame mem'bers,said car riage comprising anopen-ended vertical tube and a pair of apertured guide members rigidlysecured to the respective upper and lower ends of said vertical tube atthe respective diametrically opposite sides of the latter, the aperturesin said guide members receiving the respective bars whereby saidvertical tube is disposed in the space between the bars and whereby saidpair of bars positively support said carriage in both horizontal andvertical planes, a vertical standard having its upper end portionadjustably positioned in said tube of said carriage and extendingdownwardly therefrom toward said platform, a horizontal carrier providedat the lower end of said standard above the platform, a vertical shaftsupported by said carrier in spaced relation from the standard, an armconnected at one end thereof to said shaft for swinging movement in ahorizontal plane transversely of the platform, suspension means providedon said carrier and on said arm for supporting a jointed body member ofa patient on said platform with the body member joint substantiallycoaxially with the axis of said shaft, and adjustable means carried bysaid frame and operatively connected to said shaft for rotativelybiasing the shaft and said arm in a selected direction relative to saidcarrier.

2. The appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein said last mentionedmeans include a set of pulleys of different diameters secured to saidshaft, a cable having one end portion thereof windable selectivelyaround said pulleys in the set, guide means provided on one of saidupright frame members, said cable extending from said set of pulleys tosaid guidermeans and having its other end portion depending from thelatter, and a weight provided at said other end of the cable.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 737,903Great Britain Oct. 5, 1955

